Colossi of Memnon: 720-ton statues quarried near Aswan, not Cairo

Megalithic statues1500 - 500 BC
Mega Statues of Ancient Egypt: Advanced Technology
Source: Mega Statues of Ancient Egypt: Advanced Technology by Universe Inside You

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The twin Colossi of Memnon rise about 60 ft (18 m) above Luxor's west bank with the pedestal included, and each weighs an estimated 720 tons. They were carved from quartzite sandstone quarried at Gebel el-Silsila near Aswan—about 140 km straight-line south of Luxor, not near Cairo. They once guarded Amenhotep III's vast mortuary temple, one of ancient Egypt's largest complexes. The Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project has recovered thousands of fragments, including pieces of additional standing colossi. Magnificent. 🗿

Key facts

  • The seated figures are about 14 m (46 ft) high; with the roughly 4 m pedestal, the colossi rise about 18 m (60 ft) above the plain.
  • Each colossus is estimated to weigh about 720 tons and is carved from quartzite sandstone.
  • They stood at the entrance to Amenhotep III's mortuary complex on Luxor's west bank at ancient Thebes.
  • The stone was quarried at Gebel el-Silsila near Aswan, about 140 km in a straight line south of Luxor—not near Cairo or north of Thebes.
  • The Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project has recovered thousands of fragments from the colossi and temple, including pieces belonging to additional standing colossi.

Related stories

Sources

Colossi of Memnonen.wikipedia.org
the colossi reach 18 m (60 ft) in height and weigh an estimated 720 tons each. The two figures are about 15 m (50 ft) apart.
Colossi of Memnonegypt-museum.com
They measure at approximately 60ft in height, and it is thought they would weigh about 720 tons per statue. The southern statue is made of one piece of ...
Colossi of Memnon - The two massive statues ...introducingegypt.com
Each statue is 14 metres (45 feet) high, weighs 700 tons, and stands on a 4-metre-high (13 ft) pedestal weighing 600 tons. In total, the ensemble is 18 metres ...
Colossi of Memnon Facts | Egypt Tour Packagesegypttourpackages.com
Each statue reached a height of 18 meters by 60 feet, and each weighed 720 tons, with a distance of 15 meters between them. Colossi of Memnon height. Colossi of ...
Colossi of Memnon - Egyptrexby.com
They're made of quartzite stone, weigh a whopping 720 tons each, and reach a towering height of 60 feet. Legend has it that the northern statue used to ...
Colossi of Memnon Guide for 2027egypttimetravel.com
Archaeological estimates place the original weight of each statue at approximately 720–750 metric tons. 13.6 meters.
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